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04 December 2012

Supernatural Review - Hunteri Heroici

Supernatural Review -- Hunteri Heroici

Oh well well well.. what have we here? I have always said that I wanted Supernatural to go Simpsons, but it goes Looney Tunes instead! I'll take it! Hunteri Heroici isn't as cartoon-y as I originally envisaged it to be, but I'll take all the looney there is to get me going!

Episode 8.09 Hunteri Heroici was directed by Paul A Edwards and written by Andrew Dabb. You may know some of Paul's work including his directorial work for LOST, Alcatraz, Fringe, Heroes and Once Upon A Time. Hunteri Heroici was his first Supernatural episode. We are familiar with Andrew's episodes, he has written a fine episode without his usual writing partner, Daniel Loflin, who went solo to pen the next episode Citizen Fang. They have been writing together for a long time, so it is interesting to hear 'their voice' as a solo writer for Supernatural. I always wonder who is the funny writer and who is the serious writer out of the two.

I am satisfied with Hunteri Heroici. It's my own fault really and this is exactly why I hate spoilers. When I read spoilers about this episode, the Looney Tunes vibe was stuck in my head I couldn't get it out! This won't help, but Space Jam was TV last week, so I had this image of Dean and Sam hunting/ interacting with Daffy Duck or something. Silly, I know!

Hunteri Heroici wasn't like that of course. It was a good filler, and I think having Cas as a hunter and to interpret Looney Tunes was hilarious -- "The bird represents God and coyote is man, endlessly chasing the divine, yet never able to catch him. It’s hilarious.” We love a good angel humor! If someone publishes a book called Angel Humor -- It's Funnier in Enochian: A Conversation With Castiel, I'll buy it!

I think Cas and Sheldon Cooper are literally the same creature! OK, so may be not physically, but operationally and at least mentally. Cas hardly finds Dean's humour funny, oh hell, half the time Cas doesn't get the reference! And I find it funny whenever Sam tries to explain it! Cas is like my Aunt who tells bad jokes. When Cas is funny or thinks he is funny and laughs at his own jokes, we find him hilarious! Like I said, angle humour!

Cas is very well written in this episode, which makes me love him more!! He is acting like an intrepid detective, which could have a rhetorical or humorous effect. I think this episode does justice to his character -- he is the same old Cas, always has too much heart, he always tries to do the right thing, he is hilarious even he doesn't know it. But above all things, right now he is depressed and suicidal, which is sad. Cas couldn't stay in Purgatory as he originally intended to because he wanted to punish himself. Now that he is out, if he could find a way to kill himself, he would. But Naomi wouldn't allow that, and Dean wouldn't allow that. This is the darkness Cas has to learn to over come. I love the ending of the episode where Cas joined Fred Jones in listening to Beethoven. Could this be the therapy Cas needed?

Dean
has been dealing with Purgatory better than I expected, but if he put
his mind in the right place, his mind is pure. He needs to be because he
doesn't need to feel crap now that his brother is healthy and sitting
next to him in the Impala, and his best friend is back. Dean doesn't
like the chic flick moment and he isn't normally in the caring and
sharing mood. But as a big brother to everyone, sometimes he needs to
step up in that department. Cas needs a pep talk and Dean is here for
him. I love that! I really do! Dean as his best friend, needs to know if Cas is ok for security reasons! If Cas has issues, Dean needs to know.
Back in season six, Cas really wanted to go to Dean and talked to him as
seen in the flashback. But Cas didn't want to bother Dean, and then
Crowley happened. So this is the pep talk that has to happen. But of
course this could complicate things if and when everyone finds out about
Naomi and whatever her plan is.

What's with the soft porny filter?

What about Sam and Amelia? What do you think? It's basically Sam in a chic flick. I can't say I care. I can live without it, but if it's there I'll watch it. It's not like I have to make a fanvid on about it. The whole 'pursuing a normal life' thing just does not suit Sam. Sam is a hunter and does not belong to Sweet Home Alabama. I was half expecting Amelia's father to be a hunter, it'd be very cliche in a Supernatural fashion, but anything would be better than the vanilla relationship as presented. The Sam and Amelia flashback has more screen time than it should and it was a snooze fest. I get it, I accept it, I respect why it is written. Sam likes the idea of a normal life, and he is chasing a fantasy that doesn't belong to him. Sam is looking for the (new) meaning of life and it's almost like he needs a reason to stay hunting.

I was expecting Hunteri Heroici to be funny, like Mystery Spot. Funny deaths, I guess? I would be more satisfied if more classic Looney Tunes special effects were incorporated in this episode. But that's ok. I just wanted more and more Looney-ness, like Space Jam! Hunteri Heroici is a fine filler episode -- I love the humor; the Looney-ness; the scene where Sam and Cas were inside the cartoon; Cas being a 'bad' hunter; the pep talk; the Sam and Amelia flashback was meh but what's with the soft porny filter? I also love Garth was in the episode without being in it and he has a safe house boat! The panic room goes mobile now! AWESOME! One of my favorite bits? The cat saying "Dumb ass!"

Don't underestimate the power of a M*A*S*H rerun

Season eight has been pretty heavy on Dean's inner struggle, but in this episode we see Cas and Mike Ferrell's Fred Jones are in a very dark place, and Sam is still thinking about the life with Amelia -- they are all battling with their inner struggle. Season eight is showing a good balance of character stuff, which I love! The more I watch Supernatural, the more I don't see it as a genre show anymore. I hate it when Supernatural is classified as sci-fi/ fantasy. It is NOT! The press either don't know the show or don't give a crap, or both. Supernatural is a show with great dramas and characterisations. Supernatural is one of the most consistently well written dramas on television, and it has been for years. Keep up the good work team! We have a long way to go!

Time flies when you have fun! This week's episode, Citizen Fang, will be the last episode of 2012. The mid-season finale is going to be epic! Don't let me down Benny!

SAM PUTS A TRACKER ON BENNY — Sam (Jared Padalecki) asks a hunter named Martin (guest star Jon Gries) to keep an eye on Benny (guest star Ty Olsson) without telling Dean (Jensen Ackles). However, when Martin tells Sam there was a vampire kill and he thinks Benny is responsible, Dean defends his friend. When Martin decides to take things into his own hands, things get messy and Dean is forced to make a very hard decision. Nick Copus directed the episode written by Daniel Loflin.

I thought this episode was great. I really loved it and great review Tiny!

One area I'd say I disagree a little is that I don't consider it a filler ep.

I think the story of Fred Jones was specifically given to us to see 1. Cass' struggle and how he came to understand he can't run from his past deeds and 2. Sam's struggle to understand that the life that he dreamt of and tried to live, like Dean did with Lisa, is just that, a dream, and that it can't exist in his world and I think a lot of those flashbacks were about him assessing that, the relationship and where it can sit or can't sit in his actual life - that of a hunter. I sure as hell don't see him trying to escape the hunting life and i think these flashbacks were to illustrate that is starting to dawn on him. Every one of them happened after someone talked about a dream world or pursuing a dream.

I think this was the purpose of the flashbacks in this episode and I think what we are seeing with Sam is basically what Dean had to go through in season 6. They've both pined for a "normal" life and have both tried it and realised, that maybe it just doesn't fit with their real life. Sam has to go through this journey just as Dean did, to get to that place of understanding and acceptance. That's my take on it anyway...and yes, Amelia is real!

I like the character stuff in this episode -- Dean, Sam, Cas and Fred. I like how their emotions are connected or embedded within the episode. It's one of those episodes, the story/ lore is filler-y, but the main elements are built within it too.

I struggle a little about Sam this season -- his emotion and his past with Emilia. I get it, but I don't know.. like.. I can't put my fingers on it as to why I am not feeling Sam in a chic flick this time around!

And yes. I must have missed something! It seems that everyone is talking about if Sam's relationship with Emilia was real or illusion.. Huh? It doesn't seem like an illusion to me, or it will be like Lucifer all over again. It was real, just didn't work out. Perhaps, may be it's me, that the writing is a little confusing.. I am not sure how I am supposed to feel about Sam being like this.. It's something I need to explore.

You picked up on a lot of things and wrote about angles I hadn't really considered, so thanks for that, was good to have more to think about...as if SPN isn't complex enough, haha! I really enjoyed this episode, I avoid spoilers now which really helps. So I skipped you 'next ep' bit and other comments. I like Amelia and once I got over the weirdness of Sam in this setting it actually added to my enjoyment by reminding me how amazingly crazy the guys lives are, after a while angels and demons and gore and violence are easy to take for granted. Having a normal life to contrast with brings the non stop horror of their lives on the road into much clearer focus. Trishy

Thanks Trishy. Yes! Thank you!! You raised a good point, which I struggle with.

Taking a step back to gain some perspective is good. I think that's what season 8 is doing. Dean and Cas had purgatory; Benny is weighting on his past and present live; Sam is having feeling about feelings. They've gotta compare and contrast to know what's best for them.